Nonskid rubber traction member



July 28, 1953 D, E. cRooKER Re. 23,689

NoNsxIn RUBBER TRACE-10N MEMBER original Eued oct. 1, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

BY @MEM Reissued July 28, 1953 NONSKID RUBBER TRACTION MEMBER David E.Crocker, Ontonagon, Mich., assigner of one-half to Lloyd L. Felker,Marshfield, Wis.

Original No. 2,540,044, dated January 30, 1951, Serial No. 52,199,October 1, 1948. Application for reissue November 26, 1952,.Seral No.322,840

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent butforms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italicsindicates the additions made by reissue. p

This invention relates to improvements in i non-skid rubber tractionmembers, and more particularly but not exclusively to vehicle tires.

In the development of non-skid automobile tires, one of the types foundto give favorable results is that shown in my prior application,

In a tire of the type above referred to the road `gripping action of thecoils of wire is restricted to the substantially straight path whicheach coil traverses in the road bed over which the tire runs. This isobviously a relatively small pere, centage of the total area of the roadbed contacted by the tire as it travels thereover.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a non-skidtire tread having substantially uniform road gripping qualities over the.entire road contacting surface area thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a non-skid tire treadcombining the road gripping features of a cup-type tread with the roadgripping features of a tire tread having a wire coil embedded therein.

l A further object of the invention is to provide a non-skid tire treadof the class described having a substantially smooth road contactingsurface and having coils of wire embedded therein in wavyl longitudinallines, thereby providing substantially uniform road gripping action overthe entire width of the tire tread.

A further object of the invention is to provide a non-skid tire tread ofthe class described wherein each of the cups or recesses formed in thetread surface thereof exposes a side portion of at least one of the wirecoils imbedded in said tread, thereby providing means for thedissipation of heat from the interior of the tread through said coilsand out of said cups or recesses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a non-skid tire of theclass described which may be made either with or without transverseventilating passages communicating with the inner ends of cup-shapedrecesses.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved non-skid tire tread, and all of its parts and combinations, asset forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification,wherein are shown two embodiments of the invention, and wherein 2. likereference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views: Fig. 1is a perspective view of a tire embodying the preferred form oftreadconstruction;`

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale,taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical `sectional view similar to that of Fig.2 taken through a modified form of the invention.l y l d Referring moreparticularly to the drawing, the vnumeral I0 indicates a tire having atread II constructed in accordance with the invention. The tread II ispreferably of a height substantially the same as that of conventionalrider strip tires, and may have a smoothroad contacting surface I2.

Formed in the tread surface I2 is a plurality of recesses I3 which maybe cup-shaped or any other suitable shape. The. recesses I3 arepreferably arranged in transversely extending oblique rows as indicatedby the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. There are preferably ve recesses to each rowand the recesses of adjacent rows are preferably laterally staggered asshown in Fig. l. The rows of recesses I3 are preferably substantiallyparp allel.

Imbedded in the tread II with a side portion thereof u'sh with surfaceI2 and extending longitudinally in a substantially straight lineadjacent each edge of the tread I2 are wire coils I4. Also imbedded inthe treadl I I with a side portion thereof flush with the surface I2 area plurality of wire coils I5 which extend longitudinally vof the tread II in a wavy conformation. The num.- ber of the coils I5 is preferablythe same as the number of recesses I3 in each row-in this case five. Itwill be noted from Fig. 1 that the coils I5 are threaded in a laterallywavedvlo'ngitudinal patharound opposite sides of corresponding recessesof adjacent rows. For example, in Fig. 1, the extreme left hand coil I5is imbedded in a manner to pass on the left side of the extreme lefthand recessof one transverse row and on the right side of the extremeleft hand recess o f the next adjacent row. The lateral staggering ofadjacent rows permits this to be done without too great deformationofthe coils I5 out of a straight longitudinal line. y

As each of the coils I5 passes the recess with which it cooperates, aside portion. of said coil becomes flush with the side wall of therecess and thereby becomes exposed in the same manner as the coils areexposed on the surface I2. Fig.

2 shows each of the coils I5 as being'fiush with therebysubstantiallyequally spaced and are sub- The Ystantially parallel eventhough curved.

wavy conformation of the coilsI'E gives-arnuchr wider area in which thecoils` operateinfaugf. inenting the traction of the tire by penetration;

into the roadbed. In the type of tire having a` a plurality of recessesformed in the wearing surface thereof, said recesses being arranged intransversely extending rows, a pluralityT of spacedsubstantiallyparallel metal c oilsfY extending longitudinally withinsaid tread portion in a transg versely waved conformation around andbetween said recesses, adjacent coils being positioned with a'pluralityof said recesses therebetween, one side portionof each of said coilsbeing substantially wire coil imbedded in each riderstrip thereof, the

tractive effort of the coilsj is, limited to 'one straight path for eachcoil',"said pathy'having ai width substantially equal to'that ofthecoil.` Inr the improved tire, vthewavy conformation `of the coils I5makes possiblef'substantially uniformly effective tractive effort overthe entirewifdth of the tread surface I2, andthere is no restriction ofthe tractive effort to a few relatively narrow paths.' 11 f Since metalis a relatively'v goodv conductor/of heat and since rubber is not, thewire coils irnbeddedin the improved tire conduct h'eat fromtheginteriorfof the tread II to the surface I2` where it is dissipated.Inadditioritc the heat dissipatedby the coils atthe surface I2, theconstructionofthe improved tire provides for flush with said wearingsurface and each of said recesses having a side portion of a coil flushywith a sidewall portion thereof.

3;. In a tire having a rubber tread portion with a plurality of recessesformed in the wearingsurface thereof, said recesses being arranged withan equal number thereoffin eachf a plu- Vvrality oftransverselyfextendingrows, the recesses of 'adjacent rows beinglaterallyr staggered, al pluydissipation of heat by the coils, at' thesidewalls of the recesseswhere portions of. the coils.

are exposedj.. This.` provides for'a ygreatly in; creased. rate ofcoolingl and thereby enables' the tire to berun at lower temperaturesthan conventi'onalftires.v

yThe improved tread construction may embody transverse ventillatingpassages I5, as ,shown in Fig. 3. This construction is vin accordancewith Anot only has the addedadvantages .which are inherent in theconstruction of the abovementioned application, but also provides fo`rad-;

ditional dissipation of heat frcmthecoils M and I5 through the passagesI6, since said coils have a side portion exposed at each ofthe passages.I6.

vWhile'cup-shaped recesses I3 are shown in the preferred embodiment, anydesired shape of recess rnay be used. It is also within the concept ofthis inventionto provide a tire having coils imbedded therein as shownbut without recesses yin the tread surface I3 thereof. The improvednon-skid tread may obviously be employed in applications other than thevehicle tires.

Various other changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom thespirit of the invention, and all rof such changes arecon-.templated as maycome within'the scope of the claims.

I claim: `l. In a traction member having a rubbertread portion with aplurality of recesses formedinjth'e surface thereof, at least two-spacedmetal coils extending longitudinally within said tread portion in atransversely waved conformation'between lrsaid recesses,y adjacent coilsbeing positioned with-a plurality of said recesses therebetween,"and oneside portion of each 'cf said coils being substantially flush-with thetread surface. f In a tire havinga'rubber tread'portionwith rality ofspaced substantially parallel metal coils extending longitudinallywithin said tread .portion in aV transversely waved conformation aroundand between saidl recesses, adjacent coils being positioned with aplurality of said recesses therebetween, one side of each ofsaid vcoilsbeing substantially ush with said wearing surface, and each of saidrecesses having a side portion of a coil flush witha sidewall portionthereof.

4. In a tire having a rubber tread portion with'a plurality ofrecessesformed .in the wearing SurfacethereOf, saidrecesses being arranged withan equal number thereof n eachfnf a plurality j oftransversely extendingrows,jfthe, re.-

vcesses 'ofadjacent rows being" transversely staggered, a plurality ofspacedlnietal coils extending longitudinally within said'tread portionVin a transversely waved c onforrnationaround and 'between saidrecesses, adjacent coilsbeing positioned with a'plurality of saidrecesses therebetween; there being the same number of said, coils asthere are recesses in' each` ofthejrows, a side portion of each of saidcoils being substantially flush with said wearing surface, and each ofsaid 'coils having side portions vflush with. Opposite sidewall portionsof corresponding 'recesses of adjacent row s.` Y

5. In a tire having a rubberV tread portion with a plurality ofrecessesformed vinfthe' wearing surface, thereof, said recesses beingarranged with anequal number thereof ineachof a plurality ofsubstantially parallel, transversely extending obliqueY rows, therecesses of adjacentv rows being transversely Istaggered,l a pluralityof. spaced metal coils extending longitudinally within said treadportion in a'transversely waved conformation, around and between saidrecesses, adjacent .coils-being. positioned with a plurality of saidrecesses therebetween, there being the same number ,of said coils asthere are recesses in each ,of the rows, a sidev portion of each vofsaid coils being substantially iiush with said wearing surface, `andeach of said coils having'. side portions ush with opposite sidewallportions of corresponding recesses of` adjacent rows. f Y. 6. In a tirehaving a rubber tread portion with a plurality of recesses'formed in thewearing surface thereof,.said recesses being arranged with an equalnumber-thereof in eachl of ar plurality of substantiallyparalleltransversely extending Aoblique rows, the recesses" of adjacent rowsAbeing transversely staggered,v a metal coil extending longitudinallywithin said treadportion adjacent each edge thereof and having a sidelportion thereof flush with said wearing surface and a plurality ofmetal coils extending longitudinally .within said tread portion' inatransversely? waved conformation around and between said recesses,adjacent coils being positioned with a plurality of said recessestherebetween, there being the samenumber of said waved coils as thereare recesses in each of the rows, a side portion of each of said wavedCoils being substantially ilush with said wearing surface, and each ofsaid waved coils having side portions flush with opposite sidewallsportions of corresponding recesses of adjacent rows.

7. In a tire having `a rubber tread portion with a plurality of recessesformed in the surface thereof, at least two spaced metal coils extendingcircumferentially around the tire: within the tread portion with saidcoils having their longitutire tread which is included between saidcoils, adjacent coils being positioned with a recessed portion of thetire therebetween which recessed portion extends around the tire, andone side portion of each of said coiis being substantially flush withthe tread surface.

DAVID E. CROOKER.

References Cited in the le of this patent or the original 'patenlt vUNITED STATES PATENTS Hawkinson Oct. 24, 1950

